A plurality of solar cells, each manufactured by using a thin crystal substrate such as silicon or the like, are joined to a reinforcing plate such as a hardened glass, by using an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) or the like so that a solar battery panel is manufactured.
In the solar battery panel, in general, the respective solar cells are series-connected so as to make its output voltage greater. That is, in the conventional solar battery panel, by connecting each surface electrode tab joined to a light-receiving face of the solar cell and each rear-surface electrode tab jointed to a non-light-receiving face of the solar cell, the respective solar cells are connected in series with one another (for example, Patent Citation 1).
Moreover, in the structure in which the respective solar cells are series-connected, an arrangement is proposed in which a notch portion for preventing joined solder from sticking out is formed on the rear-surface electrode (for example, Patent Citation 4).
Another arrangement has been proposed in which the light-receiving face of the solar cell and the non-light-receiving face thereof are connected to each other by using a single electrode tab. However, by using an arrangement in which two kinds of tabs, that is, the surface electrode tab and the rear-surface electrode tab, are used, it is possible to improve the power generating efficiency and also to reduce the thermal deformation due to the electrode tab, by making the respective shapes of the tabs different from each other (see Patent Citation 1).
In the structure having the surface electrode tab and the rear-surface electrode tab, however, upon connecting the surface electrode tab and the rear-surface electrode tab, a load tends to be exerted on the solar cell to sometimes cause a crack in the solar cell. In order to solve this problem, an arrangement is proposed in which, with the joined portion of the surface electrode tab and the rear-surface electrode tab being placed outside the solar cell, the solar cells are connected to one after another so that, upon connecting the electrode tabs, a pressing load is prevented from exerting on the solar cells (for example, see Patent Citations 2 and 3).    Patent Citation 1: JP-A No. 2004-281797 (FIG. 1)    Patent Citation 2: JP-A No. 2004-247402 (FIG. 1)    Patent Citation 3: JP-A No. 2005-129773 (FIG. 1)    Patent Citation 4: JP-A No. 2002-111024